


And You're Dating the Dominatrix

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Didn't Know They Were Dating, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Teasing, mentions of BDSM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 01:05:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3338348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry has a secret (one of many): he never told Abe about Iona Payne.</p><p> </p><p>One night, Abe unwittingly walks right into a date that Henry had planned with Iona. He then proceeds to learn about Iona - or rather, who she is and what she <i>does</i>.</p><p>Naturally, he takes the piss out of Henry... right up until the moment he doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And You're Dating the Dominatrix

**Author's Note:**

> Iona's back... Iona's back. Iona's going to be back. And that sassy Abe comment in the trailer... I just couldn't resist a fic, although I fear my characterisation is so far off since I haven't written for this fandom in awhile. Sorry ^^'' :'D
> 
> (is Dowes her last name? a very very quick internet search told me that and i wasn't in the mood to research further and i don't remember so apologies for that too shes iona to me so there)
> 
> I do not own _Forever_. Thanks for reading!

"Henry, I- oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were having company."

Henry looked up quickly, abandoning the passionate discussion of wine that he was sailing through with Iona, as Abe hesitated in the door of the living room. "Abraham. I thought you were out until later."

Abe looked between Henry and Iona, a quick one-two glance with a tiny bit of curiosity and a larger portion of something Henry recognised as the look Abraham adopted when he was looking at a particularly beautiful woman.

"I was, but it wrapped early." Abe's eyes met Henry's through the sunset dappled room with no small amount of innuendo. "If you want, I can go," he started, in a tone that said he would very much stay even if he was asked to leave.

"Nonsense." Henry straightened up. "Abraham, this is I- Molly Dowes." The name sounded foreign on his lips. "We met during a past case. Molly, this is Abraham, my aforementioned flatmate and wonderful business partner."

"Pleasure to meet you," Abraham replied cheerfully.

"The pleasure is mine, I'm sure," Iona said pleasantly, smiling her professional, as always unfazed, smile towards him.

Henry caught Abraham's eye again, trying to subtly relay the message - _no_. Simply, _no_.

Abraham got the message: he raised an eyebrow in return. _Really?_

Henry raised his chin slightly, head falling to a slight incline. _Are you questioning me?_

"Why don't you join us, Abraham?" Iona said, drawing Henry out of his nonverbal conversation with his son. "Henry's told me so much about the antique business. It's a refreshing turn away from his usual path of murder and death," she said teasingly, fishing for Henry's gaze.

Henry smiled only for an instant. He had realised, in the back of his mind, what exactly was happening. His date was being crashed by his seventy year old son. The never rattled part of his brain was being shaken into mortification at the reversal of roles, considering who Iona was and what she _did_.

"Oh, no, I couldn't-" Abe said.

"I'm really sure that he wants to rest-" Henry started at the same time. He stopped and stared daggers across the room at his son. _No, Abraham. I said no-_

"Well, maybe just for a moment?" Abe said aloud.

"Of course," Iona said. "I'd love to hear stories about living with this one." She leaned forward and propped her elbows on her knees. "Tell me, is he as dreadfully mysterious at home as he is on the job?"

Abraham's smile was like the cat who had gotten the cream. "Mysterious? Oh, he's mysterious all right. Have you seen his dungeon?"

Henry cringed internally.

"Dungeon?" Iona looked up, directly around at him this time. "Why, Henry, here I was thinking that you didn't have any experience in my area."

Henry cleared his throat, taking a drink of his wine. "It's really not as dubious as Abe makes it sound, I assure you."

"What kind of work do you do, Molly?"

"Oh, I'm a dominatrix."

Henry swallowed back the tiny bit of a groan of dismay. He didn't meet Abraham's gaze, and instead opted for a larger drink of the wine. He would never live this down, even with the assurance that he and Iona were strictly friends, and nothing else after the initial meeting. Maybe they had gone to dinner once, or twice, and maybe she had introduced him to a beautiful set of silken scarves once, or twice, but they were _not_... more.

" _Oh_. Golly." Abe looked between them. "Henry, you didn't tell me that you had a case with a dominatrix."

 _For good reason,_ Henry thought. He smiled thinly. "Didn't I? It must have slipped my mind after the kidnapping."

"Ah, right, I remember," Abe mused. "Although how you failed to mention such a pretty young lady as Molly... wait. You did mention someone, I... I... In-"

"Iona," she supplied helpfully. "Iona Payne."

" _You're_ the woman he mentioned going to dinner with," Abe said thoughtfully. "What a small world." He sat down on the edge of the piano bench. "You have to tell me, did he _actually_ meet you on a case, if you know what I mean?"

The wine burned as it went down the wrong way. " _Abraham_." He coughed, kneading his fingers against his chest. "What are you implying?"

The look he received read _you know very well what I'm implying_.

"Abraham..." His warning tone went unnoticed beneath the scratch of having been choked over his own alcohol and his own son's inquiries.

Iona laughed softly. "It was for a case. The whole debacle involved a few of my clients, I'm afraid..."

　

　

　

"Lovely to see you again, Henry." Iona gently pulled her hair from beneath her coat lapel, letting it fall in golden waves around her face.

Henry smiled to himself, unable to help reaching up to tuck one of the more wily of the soft strands behind Iona's ear. "We have to do this again," he found himself saying, even as he was aware of Abraham listening to them from the work desk.

"I'll look forward to our future adventures, then." Iona's fingers toyed with the tawny scarf wound loosely around Henry's neck. "Whenever is convenient, of course."

Henry heard the implication in her voice, felt the promise in her light touch. For a moment, he let himself envision he was somewhere else, and that now was convenient. "Soon," he said out loud, and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

"Good night, Henry. Good night, Abe," she called, looking around Henry. "It was such fun to finally meet you."

Abe's smile was never-endingly bright. "You, too!"

Henry saw her out and closed the door behind her, sighing softly when she had gone. The electricity between their exchange was drawn out into the cold air, and the rolling motion of emotions pushed back interrupted by Abraham's voice breaking the silence.

"Well, well."

Henry opened his eyes, spinning on his heel. "You assured me that you would be out the entirety of the night; Iona and I were meant to have a perfectly quiet night-in."

Abe raised his eyebrows. "‘Perfectly quiet’? Don't you mean loud and raucous and incredibly filthy?"

Henry flexed his hands into fists. "Our relationship is strictly professional, Abraham, just because she dabbles in the art of _recreational scolding_ -"

"You gave her a kiss good night and looked thrilled at the idea of meeting with her again. And I know you've gone to dinner with her." Abe looked at him critically. "You're dating a dominatrix."

Henry breathed in sharply. "I am not _dating_ Miss Payne- Miss Dowes."

"So you're taking advantage of her services," Abe stated matter-of-factly.

"No," Henry retorted, although he could remember the pull of his muscles as she explained the stress position and he could feel the touch of cool silk brushing over his lids and eyelashes. "We aren't..." His denials trickled out as he realised that he had no way to _ideally_ describe their relationship.

"I'm not judging." Abe held up his hands. "She's a gorgeous woman. And you could do with a bit of unpredictability in your life if you ask me, staying all cooped up between the morgue and that dusty lab of yours."

"I don't need _unpredictability_ , Abraham, I need stability, I need structure-"

"Oh, I'm sure she could give you structure," Abe said lowly. "I imagine she'd be strict." Henry opened his mouth to protest, but Abraham continued before he could. "Really, she seems like a nice, young woman. Although, I didn't take you to be the type to be into S&M. Wait..." He stopped, fingers pausing on the papers he was reading over. "Oh. No."

"What? Abraham?"

"Forget I asked. I just had the most disturbing mental picture." Abe stood, gathering the papers to file away. "The things you and mom got up to..."

Henry felt the blood drain from his face. "No," he said quickly. "Abigail and I, we... no." He swallowed and turned away from Abe's back. "That was a different age, Abe."

"Well, not so much. I'm still here, aren't I? But, anyway, I do _not_ want to know. I don't want to know, any of it, actually." Abe turned and shook his head. "This is no doubt quite possibly the largest turn up I've ever experienced asides from your immortality, but the more I think about it..." He made a face and turned for the stairs.

Henry blew out a breath. "Abe, trust me, it's not like that."

"Hear no evil, Henry. _Please_."

"There _is_ no evil to tell!" Henry retorted, dogging his steps upstairs. "Abraham, listen to me, all of this, you've got the wrong idea. If you would let me explain-"

"Just stop talking, Dad!"

 


End file.
